Friday, November 28, 2008

Turkey-tastic!




As those of you who've read my blog before know, I'm not exactly Gordon Ramsay in the kitchen. (Or in the bedroom for that matter, if recent headlines are to be believed!)

Well, that all changed this week as I donned the Cath (Kidston apron) and for the first time since living in the US, hosted a Thanksgiving dinner.

Two other Brit families and the Mom/Mum household got together to celebrate this American holiday, complete with the traditional bird and all the trimmings.

I am thankful for the close friends we have made since living here - the other Brits and us who get together on days in the US calendar usually reserved for family time. With our families across the pond, we tend to search each other out and become 'family' for those days. It's really nice and means we aren't alone on these special holidays.

So this year there were 11 mouths to feed at my house for Thanksgiving. 'Eek!' said I after I offered to host. That's one big bird we need.

And one big bird I purchased, then had to Google, 'How to cook a Thanksgiving Turkey' to ensure I didn't give my guests food poisoning.

The five small people had their own little table, next to ours, which Superdad (aka Him Downstairs) duly decorated with paper hats and stickers for the kids (all boys aged 2-5) to decorate whilst the bird crisped. They were happy chappies - dinner, crafts, a movie in PJs and a sleepover beckoned. (As you can predict, five little boys in one bedroom = not much sleep and plenty of giggling!)

I must admit, I was little apprehensive about cooking this holiday meal. When you're not exactly Delia Smith/Rachael Ray in the kitchen, taking on the task of cooking for 11, can bring you out in a mild 'glow' (OK, very clammy hands and a sweaty back. Nice.)

Too many peas? Not enough brocoli? How many roasties? How many minutes per pound? All that maths had me reaching for the Merlot.

Plus, this year there was the added worry of BlogToFit. Having been inspired by the two Daves and Tara to take my eating bull by the horns and wrestle myself free of its calorie inducing ways, I wasn't sure how I was going to cope with the red wine trying to seduce me and the banoffee pie screaming, 'Eat me, NOW!' Let alone being able to refuse the dripping butter glistening atop the green beans.

Thanksgiving was fast becoming a landslide into food temptation.

There was only one thing to do.

Take a break.

Have a day off.

After all, I've been really good all week. (No exorbitance with the cookies and only fruit munched after 7pm.)

Heck - a big roast won't kill me will it?

So, with the pressure off, I relaxed and enjoyed every last mouthful of my big bird and yummy dessert. I didn't beat myself up that it was a meal of excess, but congratulated myself for not having seconds. Although the table was bursting, I didn't eat myself into a coma and felt much better than I usually do after a holiday dinner. For that I thank BlofToFit. Without their inspiration and the support from the community of fellow bloggers who, like me, are attempting to take those all important small first steps into a healthier and fitter lifestyle, my Thanksgiving day would have been a calorific food mountain.

Instead, it was more of a gentle hill. And I'll all about an amiable stroll than arduous mountaineering.

I have to confess I did indulge in a post-dinner Magherita (err and a few gin and tonics.) Yes, I had the hangover I deserved. But those calories didn't count did they?


pic: cartoon by Rebekah Failla and Artie Romero

19 comments:

  1. I always think that it would be tremendously unfair to have both the calories and the hangover, surely one negates the other ?

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  2. ag - am loving your reasoning. We must be reading the same book!

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  3. Sounds lovely. You should be lucky not to be Gordon Ramsay - I think he may have cooked his goose this year...(Google News him now if you don't know why! ).

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  4. nvg - just googled Gordon - OMG! Well, I always feel there's little smoke without fire, but, Gordon? Really?!!!
    Yep, I am glad not to be him.

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  5. Well done chick. You have gone all Nigella on us.
    Happy thanksgiving.
    Your card was so lovely it made me cry...btw...

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  6. Sounds fantastic...will look at the links as I'm trying to diet at the mo too!

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  7. Got so carried away by the diet thing that I forgot to tell you about being tagged!

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  8. Yup, take a break. I'll authorise the paperwork!!

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  9. Would you like to come and cook my Christmas turkey? Please?

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  10. You go girl!
    Did you turn into a domestic goddess the minute you stepped over the US border?

    We LOVE you over at Blog To Fit. You talk about pants and naked men and who doesn't need a bit of that in their lives?

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  11. That sounds like a great Thanks Giving dinner. My sister lives in Brighton, and while it is not so far away as being across the pond, she is still very grateful for the friends she has that make up her Brighton family, and so are we. It's good to know there's someone there when we can't be.

    And 5 kids from 1-5, blimey!

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  12. Home cooked food contains none of the chemical nasties of processed muck - so the amount of vitamins you'll have scoffed easily out weighs any calories they contain!

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  13. CTTF - Hardly Nigella, but it was nice to do a big meal and for it to be a success for once! Maybe my time with my nose inside a recipe book has paid off! That and the genius magic of the Cath. See, without you it wouldn't have been possible.

    HT _ I highly recommend BlogToFit and thanks for the tag. Will do it. After I've exercised, naturally!

    Dave - Thank you sir!

    Nunhead - The chanbce that a second turkey would turn out just as well, is a bit of a risk to be honest. It was probably beginners luck!

    tara - Ahh bless you. But am hardly a domestic goddess, more of a domestic nightmare if I'm honest! Blogging or cooking? I know which I chose everytime!
    Am very comfortable talking naked in blogworld, just not so comfy looking naked in real life...!!

    JB - hello! Yes, the geographical families we make in life become as important as the blood relatives...and btw those 5 kids aren't all mine. God forbid!

    MITC - Genius! Hooray! Must eat some more then eh?

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  14. What a fun post! Came from Authorblog, and glad I did! Those post-dinner drinks DON'T count!

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  15. Alcohol calories never count! Glad you did your Domestic Goddess bit- sounds amazing! I think Christmas day here will be a similar thing - and it will have to be a day off BTF as I cannot not do champagne, smoked salmon and scrambled eggs for my Christmas day breakfast! Especially when it was half price in Waitrose and I've already stocked up!

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  16. Sounds like you have started a new tradition..

    Now if I could only master Burns Night...

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  17. I've both tagged you (sorry) and given you an award - come over to mine and see..

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  18. Louise - hello and thank you for stopping by! I count on the alcohol not counting!

    TG - Yeah I think the only way to get through Christmas is for us blogTofitters to have that day off. nothing we comsume on the 25the counts! Your breakfast sounds amazing. Can I come? I was just going to serve toast and Weetabix!

    Susanna - hello and thanks you for reading my blog and commenting.
    Not sure i want to make cooking for that many people a tradition!
    What happens on Burns Night...?

    NVG - Oh you old softie - thanks! The award makes up for the tag! x

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  19. Louise - hello and thank you for stopping by! I count on the alcohol not counting!

    TG - Yeah I think the only way to get through Christmas is for us blogTofitters to have that day off. nothing we comsume on the 25the counts! Your breakfast sounds amazing. Can I come? I was just going to serve toast and Weetabix!

    Susanna - hello and thanks you for reading my blog and commenting.
    Not sure i want to make cooking for that many people a tradition!
    What happens on Burns Night...?

    NVG - Oh you old softie - thanks! The award makes up for the tag! x

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